rance and bigotry of a false religion and substitute in its place Christian conceptions and principles. It is easier to give men jobs to earn bread, than visions of God that satisfy souls, and interpret for them, time and eternity.

But as H. G. Wells makes Mr. Brittling say: "Religion is the first thing and the last thing, and until a man has found God and has been found by God, he begins at no beginning, he works to no end. He may have his friendships, his partial loyalties, his scraps of honor. But all these things fall into place and life falls into place only with God."

The minister's task is really the hardest task given to mortal man, but it is absolutely fundamental to the perpetuity of the state and nation, and to the welfare of the race. Upon the minister's success or failure depends practically all that is valuable in human society. His work controls the development of human history in its noblest aspects, and his profession remains a living, burning need of the race until the "kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our God and His Christ."

3. A very potent influence diverting our our✓ young men from the regular lines of the ministry is the pressure for workers in benevolent and semi-religious organizations.

In past days the young man who desired to do religious work found himself limited practically to the pastorate of a single congregation or to missionary service. But our conceptions of what is religious service have been continually widening, and the field of opportunity consequently has been broadened.

Many avenues of endeavor offer outlet to the instinct or desire to serve the race religiously. The Young Men's Christian Association, temperance and other reform movements, social uplift societies, benevolent and charitable organizations-all of them forms of life where valuable service to humanity may be renderedpresent their claims upon the life and talent of the youth of this generation. And these new fields usually promise two advantages over the regular ministry-they offer better financial returns, and are free from many of the limitations that surround the pastor or worker attached to

the church organization. The call for competent workers in these fields is just as great as the call for men in the regular ministry, and it is not surprising that many choice young men choose such forms of service. As one stalwart youth said to his minister father who was pleading with him to enter the ministry: "I am doing religious service. I am helping to bring in God's kingdom through the organization with which I am working, and at the same time I am getting three times the salary that you have received. Why should I give up the comparative freedom of my place and its comfortable income for the meagre salary and limitations of a church pastorate."

Of course, the young men who argue thus fail to see that these organizations outside of the church have no future apart from the church; that their continuance is dependent upon the favor and support of the church, and that they can offer careers for men only as the church gives them of its comfort and assistance. Roger W. Babson, in his book, "Religion and Business," asserts that "religion is the greatest unde

veloped resource of America to-day." But this resource that means so much to the nation and the world will not be tapped by semi-religious organizations or independent prospectors. The church, with its complex and far-reaching organization, its heritage of tradition, and its centuries of capitalized life and devotion, is the only institution that can successfully make available for the state and society this mighty resource of religion.

4. A very obvious reason for the failure of our young people to consider the ministry seriously lies in the attitude of the church. For a long time the churches have neglected to emphasize the ministry as a divine calling, to pray for the young men to give their lives to it, and to hold it up to the young people as the great thing to be desired.

Prayer services are seldom devoted to consideration of the claims of the ministry upon the church and its young people; and ministers are singularly reticent about presenting the matter in the pulpit.

Several years since, a general secretary put the

question before a series of church associations representing over three hundred churches, and to his surprise only one per cent. of the churches had given any consideration to the matter at prayer meeting or stated service within a year, while representatives of scores of churches could not remember any public presentation to their membership of the work of the ministry and its claims upon the young life of the church.

A few generations ago it was not unusual for parents to dedicate their new-born sons to this holy work; and when those sons, grown to manhood, adopted the profession, to rejoice in their boy's choice as the greatest reward that could come to their faith. But these new days have brought a totally different attitude. Many parents seem to regard it as a misfortune when their boys want to enter the ministry; and some, when they see signs of interest in the profession upon the part of their sons, deliberately seek to divert the mind to other trades and professions.

Perhaps the prevalent critical attitude toward the minister has influenced some of these parents, and certainly it has had a chilling effect upon